Slush pump valve cover



R. A. PANGBURN SLUSH PUMP VALVE COVER Filed July 17, 1954 Oct. 11, 1966 United States Patent O 3,278,069 SLUSH PUMP VALVE COVER Raymond A. Pangburn, R0. Box 94364, Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,459 9 Claims. (Cl. 2211-55) The present invention relates to pumps and more particularly to an improved valve cover or cap for slush pumps.

Slush pumps of relatively large capacity are conventional equipment in oil well drilling and are used for circulating the drilling uid. These pumps have generally cylindrical shaped upwardly open intake and exhaust uid transfer-ring bodies, commonly called valve pots which are respectively equipped with fluid intake and exhaust valves. The valve pots must be provided with means permitting access to the valve therein to service the valve. To accomplish this a cap or cover is usually provided at the upwardly disposed end of each valve .pot which is usually attached to the valve pot by a plurality of stud bolts or bolts and nuts. A recent improvement comprises a `ring or disk-like cap which is threadedly secured to the valve pot by a single member. This single member frequently works loose during operation of the pump resulting in malfunction of the associated valve. Furthermo-re, the type of cover in which a plurality of bolts holds the cover in place requires considerable time to remove and replace each cap or cover resulting in extensive shut down time.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the invention to provide an improved replaceable valve cover or cap for a slush pump.

Another object is vto provide a valve cover or cap which employes a single bolt and nut which is connected in a novel manner with each respective valve pot body.

Still another object is to provide a device of this class which employs a plurality of segmental cover locking members which are fulcrumed against the valve cover cap.

Yet another object is to provide a device of this class which may be connected with existing slush pump valve pots without modification thereof and may be incorporated in the design of valve pots to be manufactured.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by connecting a valve cover receiving ring to the upwardly open end of a valve pot. A stud bolt and nut, secured to the valve cover, cooperate with the ring in fulcruming cover lock members against the valve cover.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional slush pump illustrating, by dotted lines, the relative position of one of the devices of the present invention when installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a top view, to a larger scale, ofthe device when installed on the pump;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, to a different scale, of a valve pot, per se, modied or constructed to coact with the present invention.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures on the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates a fragment of a conventional slush pump having a plurality of generally cylindrical shaped bodies or valve pots, indicated at 12, respectively housing fluid intake and exhaust valves. One type of conventional removable valve pot cover or cap is indicated at 14.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated a fragment of a cylindrical valve pot 12, which has been centrally bored, as at 11, of the type having its upwardly disposed end wall drilled, as at 16, for threadedly receiving stud bolts 18. The upper end 13 of the valve pot is counterbored, as at 15, for receiving a packing ring 17. The above describes a conventional valve pot with which the present invention is to be used.

A cylindrical ring member 20, diametrically substantially equal with respect to the valve pot 12, replaces the conventional valve pot cover 14. The ring 20 has a relatively thick wall dening a central bore 22 of a size to freely receive a valve pot plug as hereinafter described. The wall of the ring is drilled, as at 24, for receiving the stud bolts 18. Nuts 26 hold the ring 20 in place. The ring 20 is counterbored from its downwardly disposed end, as viewed in FIG. 3, as at 28, forming a downwardly facing `annular shoulder 30.

A `step diametered valve pot plug 40 is coaxially received by the bore 11 of the valve pot. The plug 40 includes a central body portion 42 having a circumferential wall closely received by the inner wall surface of the packing ring 17 and the wall forming the bore 11. The depending portion of the plug 40 is formed to define an inverted truncated cone 44. An internally threaded sleeve 46 is coaxially connected in depending relation to the depending end of the cone 44. A centrally bored valve stern receiving bushing 48 is threadedly received by the sleeve 46. The plug 4t) is further characterized by an upper outstanding ange-like top or head end portion 5u diametrically slightly smaller than the ring bore 22 but greater than the diameter of the packing ring 17 s0 that a peripheral portion of the plug head 5t) overlaps a portion of the valve pot end surface 13.

A stud bolt 54 is axially connected to the outer upwardly disposed surface of the valve pot head Si). A plurality, perferably three, segmental wedge-shaped members 56 are positioned around the stud bolt 54. As shown in FIG. 3, the members S6 each have an arcuate outer end portion 5S complementally formed with respect to the radius of the counterbore 28 and are loosely received therein. The lowerrnost surface of the outer end portion 58 of each segment is provided with a depending fulcrum point lug 59, arcuate when viewed in transverse cross section. The lugs 59 are spaced inwardly from. the oute-r end edge of the end portion 58 and are formed on a radius slightly smaller than the radius of the plug flange 50 so that the lugs 59 are positioned in overlying relation on the upper surface of the plug 40 adjacent the peripheral edge of the flange 50. The members 56 extend inwardly and upwardly from their outer end portions 58 in angular `relation with respect to the upper surface of the plug flange 50 and terminate, at their inner end portions 61, opposite the outer end portions 58, in an arcuate end surface in surrounding spaced relation with respect to the periphery of the bolt 54. As shown in FIG. 3, the opposing end portions 58 and 61 have upper and lower substantially parallel surfaces. The end portions 58 and 61 lie in oit-set or vertically spaced planes. A sleeve-like spacer or bushing 57 surrounds the bolt 54 and is interposed between the periphery of the bolt 54 and the are of the adjacent end of each of the members 56. The bushing 57 includes an outstanding flange or head portion 60 which bears against the upper surface of the respective adjacent end portion 61 of each member 56. A nut 62 is threadedly engaged with the bolt 54 and when tightened forces the bushing ange 60 into contact with the members 56 thus fulcruming them against the plug 40 by the contact of the outwardly disposed end portions S8 of the members 56 with the downwardly facing shoulder 30. This action compresses the packing 17 and seals the plug 40 uid tight. The upper outermost edge of each segment is chamfered or, preferably, cut away on a relatively small radius to form an arcuate edge 64, when viewed in cross section. This arcuate edge 64 contacts the shoulder 30 in a friction reducing action when tightening the nut 62.

It seems obvious that the valve plug 40 may be easily land quickly removed from the valve pot 12 by simply removing the nut 54, bushing S7 and segmental members 56 permitting the plug 40 to be lifted by means of the bolt 54.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the numeral 12A indicates a fragment of a valve pot, identical with respect to the valve pot 12, which has been modified to receive the valve plug 40 and locking members 56. The valve pot 12A includes the threaded stud bolt receiving holes 16A but these holes 16A are not needed or used in this ernbodiment of the invention. This valve pot 12A is similarly provided with the bores 11A and 22A. The ring 20 is omitted. The wall forming the bore 22A is undercut to form a groove 2SA, similar in form and in appearance with respect to the counterbore 28. The groove 28A forms a valve pot flange receiving seat or surface 13A similar to the surface I3 and a similar downwardly facing shoulder 30A. The surface 113A is counterbored around the bore 11A for receiving a packing ring 17A. The valve plug 40 and locking members 56 may then be installed in the valve pot 12A in a manner similar to that described hereinabove for FIGS. 2 and 3. Obviously the valve pot 12A may be formed as described hereinabove during its manufacture for use with the plug 40 and wedge members 56.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve cap for a slush pump of the type having an upwardly open valve pot, said valve pot having an upper end surface, comprising: a ring coaxially secured to the upwardly open end of said valve pot, said ring having an inner wall forming a downwardly facing annular shoulder adjacent its end surface opposite its connection with said valve pot; a valve plug supported by the upper end surface of said valve pot within said ring; a threaded bolt and nut axially connected with said valve plug and projecting beyond the end of said ring opposite its connection wtih said valve pot; and lock means including a plurality of wedge-shaped segmental members extending between said bolt and an inner surface of said ring, said segmental members being fulcrumed against said valve plug when said nut is tightened.

2. Structure as specified in claim l in which said segmental members are characterized by an arcuate outer end surface cooperatively received freely by said ring between said annular shoulder and the adjacent surface of said valve plug, said segmental members having an arcuate opposite end surface terminating adjacent the periphery of said bolt.

3. Structure as specied in claim 2 in which said segmental members are inclined from the inner wall of said ring toward said bolt; and in which a portion of an arcuate outer end portionof each segmental member overlies, in contacting relation, an outer portion of the adjacent circumferential edge surface of said valve plug.

4. Structure as specied in claim 3 and a seal interposed between said valve plug and the upper end surface of said valve pot.

5. Structure as specified in claim 3 and a sleeve bushing surrounding said bolt and contacting the adjacent end edges of said segmental members, said bushing having an outstanding flange overlying the adjacent end portion of said segmental members.

6. A valve cap for a slush pump of the type having an upwardly open valve pot, said valve pot having an upper end surface and having a circumferential series of threaded stud bolts and nuts connected to its upper end surface, comprising: a ring having a thickened wall, said thickened wall having a like series of apertures parallel with the axis of said ring for receiving said stud bolts, said ring having an open annular inner wall forming a downwardly facing shoulder adjacent its end surface opposite its connection with said valve pot; a valve plug supported within said valve pot by said upper end surface; a threaded bolt and nut axially connected with said valve plug and projecting beyond the end of said ring opposite its connection with said valve pot; and lock means including a plurality of wedge-shaped segmental members extending between said bolt and an inner wall of said ring, said segmental members being fulcrumed against said valve plug when said nut is tightened.

7. A valve cap for a slush pump of the type having an upwardly open valve pot, said valve pot having a valve plug seat formed therein and having an inner wall forming an annular downwardly facing shoulder opposite said seat, comprising: a valve plug supported by said seat; a threaded bolt and nut axially connected to said valve plug and projecting outwardly beyond the open end of said valve pot; and lock means including a plurality of wedge-shaped segmental members extending between said bolt and the inner wall of said valve pot, said segmental members being fulcrumed against said valve plug when said nut is tightened.

8. Structure as specified in claim 7 in which said segmental members are characterized by an arcuate outer end surface freely received by the inner wall of said valve pot adjacent said annular shoulder, said segmental members having an arcuate opposite end surface terminating adjacent the periphery of said bolt.

9. Structure as specified in claim 8 in which said segmental members are inclined from the lower surface of said annular shoulder in said valve pot toward said bolt; and in which a portion of the arcuate outer end surface of each segmental member overlies in contacting relation an outer portion of the adjacent circumferential edge surface of said valve plug.

No references cited.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

J. B. MARBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VALVE CAP FOR A SLUSH PUMP OF THE TYPE HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPEN VALVE POT, SAID VALVE POT HAVING AN UPPER END SURFACE, COMPRISING: A RING COAXIALLY SECURED TO THE UPWARDLY OPEN END OF SAID VALVE POT, SAID RING HAVING AN INNER WALL FORMING A DOWNWARDLY FACING ANNULAR SHOULDER ADJACENT ITS END SURFACE OPPOSITE ITS CONNECTION WITH SAID VALVE POT; A VALVE PLUG SUPPORTED BY THE UPPER END SURFACE OF SAID VALVE POT WITHIN SAID RING; A THREADED BOLT AND NUT AXIALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID VALVE PLUG AND PROJECTING BEYOND THE END OF SAID RING OPPOSITE ITS CONNECTION WITH SAID VALVE POT; AND LOCK MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF WEDGE-SHAPED SEGMENTAL MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BOLT AND AN INNER SURFACE OF SAID RING, SAID SEGMENTAL MEMBERS BEING FULCRUMED AGAINST SAID VALVE PLUG WHEN SAID NUT IS TIGHTENED. 